1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus.
2. Related Art
When manufacturing a semiconductor switch, such as an IGBT, that switches current flowing though an inductive load, an avalanche breakdown test is performed. Patent Document 1 describes a test apparatus that performs an avalanche breakdown test.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-33042
However, when the device under test malfunctions in a short-circuit mode during testing of the avalanche breakdown voltage, an excessive current flows through the device under test. Therefore, damage spreads in the device under test and it becomes difficult to analyze the source of the malfunction. Furthermore, the excessive current flowing through the device under test can damage the test apparatus itself.
In order to prevent such occurrences, a test apparatus that tests avalanche breakdown voltage must quickly cut off the connection between the inductive load and the device under test when an abnormal current flows to the device under test. However, a switching device that can perform high-speed switching and has a high withstand voltage is expensive, and this increases the cost of the overall test apparatus.